There are many applications, particularly within the realm of data transmission, where multiple streams of information need to be collected and routed through various points. For example, routers are used with the Internet to move data traffic from one point to another across the network. As is well-known in the art, each data packet may include an identified “class of service” (COS) that defines the priority with which that packet is to be moved with respect to other packets in the network. Obviously, as millions of these packets are moved every minute, “traffic jams” at various router locations are likely to occur.
Complicating matters is the every-increasing use of virtual private networks across the IP network. A virtual private network (VPN) is a private data network that makes use of the public telecommunications infrastructure, maintaining privacy through the use of a tunneling protocol and security procedures. A virtual private network can be contrasted with a system of owned or leased liens that can only be used by one company. The idea of the VPN is to give the company/owner the same capabilities at a much lower cost by using the shared public infrastructure rather than a private one. When multiple VPNs use a common router (which is often the case), it is possible for the high priority traffic from one VPN to interfere with the high priority traffic associated with the other VPNs.
Thus, a remaining problem in the art is that there is currently no guarantee of “fairness” among high priority traffic flows from different VPNs sharing a common router.